Asomatous
by Eevee Tofu
Summary: Love makes you want to hold that special one close, feel their warmth... But what if you have no physical form? In-universe puzzleshipping. Contains no actual card games. Choking hazard: small parts.
1. Chapter 1

Alright, alright. I gave in and started writing Yu-Gi-Oh fics. Really, that was the only logical thing to come after fanart.

I noticed, while browsing, that a lot of puzzleshipping fics tend to be AU, or at least involve Yami having his own body for no adequately explained reason. So I got the urge to try and write something that centered around the two of them sharing a body. It's a notion I find fascinating, and I'm disappointed that more writers don't consider it.

But anyway, here's my foray into the YGO fandom. I don't know how long the series itself is supposed to last in terms of real time, so uh... Yeah. Call it alternate-timeline if it doesn't fit.

- x - x - x - x -

Moonlight washed over the teen's sleeping face, illuminating the golden highlights in his dark locks. His hair behaved like strands of silk, fluttering with each exhale, then floating down to rest once more on alabaster skin. His lashes twitched as his eyes darted about in REM sleep, and his pale pink lips moved slightly as if attempting speech.

Yami simply gazed upon the boy before him. Truly, he was an incredible sight. It had been a mere two years since the boy had completed the Millenium Puzzle and unlocked the spirit within it, and in that short time, Yugi had matured into quite a handsome young man. He was taller now, closer to the height that Yami achieved in his form, and he'd developed a more slender frame. It was more difficult to tell the difference between the two, now. But Yugi still had wide, innocent, childlike eyes, and a round, gentle face - whereas Yami's eyes had more of an almond shape, and his jaw a more angular build.

The spirit let out a quiet sigh as he hovered above the teen's bed. Having dwelled in the young man's mind for such a long time, Yami had grown rather attached to him. He knew of his host's deepest fears and hopes, understood the way he processed thoughts, and could predict his actions with striking accuracy. Tilting his ethereal head slightly in thought, Yami wondered if Yugi ever paid as much attention to _his_ subtleties. The pharaoh never pried into his thoughts; he only knew of those that Yugi chose to share with him. Nor did he look into the boy's dreams - those, too, were private, unless willingly divulged afterwards.

During the many long years locked away within the Puzzle, Yami had not only forgotten his past life, but how it felt to _be_ alive. Tastes, smells, physical sensations... In the form of a spirit, he could indeed experience them, but compared to a living human, his senses worked as though underwater. He settled behind the sleeping Yugi, spooning him (Yami had never understood this term, as the act did not remotely resemble a piece of tableware), his ghostly arms wrapped around the boy, and could _almost_ feel the warmth of his body. A transparent hand lifted to Yugi's head, and Yami felt the shadow of a tickle as he caressed the other's hair.

Within the labyrinth of their shared mind, his senses were as acute as any human's - they had discovered this one day when Yami had tripped over something inside Yugi's Mind Room, and crashed into the clueless boy. The pharaoh still recalled that incident vividly; it had been the first time their "bodies" had made contact, and it had felt very peculiarly unique. Of course Yami had had physical contact with others while in control of Yugi's body, but this was completely different. Even for such a random, accidental touch, it had felt... intimate.

There had since been many times that Yami had considered reaching for Yugi while inside their shared mind. He yearned to be close to his partner, his _aibou_; he longed for a chance to touch and hold him in a physical form. His desire, oddly enough, had no sexual drive behind it whatsoever - the spirit's attraction was born solely of his emotional connection to the boy. And oh, how he wished he could press himself close to Yugi, and simply experience his physical existence, the way a real, _human_ lover could... Oh, yes, how he pined for that privelege.

But Yami was well aware of Yugi's poorly concealed crush on Anzu. There was absolutely no way he could even _hope_ to compete with her; she was beautiful and kind, and female... And also, she was real, she was material, she could be touched. And she would be around for, most likely, the duration of Yugi's physical existence. Realistically, Yami doubted he would stay on the mortal plane much past Yugi's twenty-first birthday, if that.

Yugi stirred in his sleep, rolling onto his back. His hand landed palm-up on the pillow beside his head; it would have smacked Yami in the face, had he been solid. The spirit shifted slightly and placed his wispy hand over Yugi's. Only the slightest murmur of sensation reached him as he tried fruitlessly to entwine their fingers. He craved the touch of the one he loved, and cursed every god he knew of that he couldn't have been reborn in this era. Mild frustration overcame him, and he sat up, again taking the opportunity to gaze upon the slumbering youth.

"_Aibou_," he murmured, an intangible hand curling over Yugi's slightly flushed cheek. He leaned over and kissed the young man, his discarnate lips begging for the sensation of his beloved's reciprocation. Disheartened, he pulled back - and saw the corners of Yugi's mouth twitch into a smile, as he hummed a soft, content "mmh..." He snuggled deeper into his pillow, seeming to glow with a happiness that Yami was not sure whether he caused. Had Yugi somehow felt his kiss...? No, it had to have been a coincidence... Either way, the complacent aura about Yugi seemed to lull the pharaoh into sleep, his spiritual body resting on the mattress beside the form of the sleeping human he had come to adore.

- x - x - x - x -

This... this whole thing is just really reminiscent of Kuroshitsuji. Except that Yugi isn't a whiny bitch who sits around on his little shota ass, drinking tea all day. And Yami isn't a perverted, child-molesting demon butler. (I mean seriously, Ciel is like, twelve :U at least Yugi is like fifteen or something in canon.)

Anyway, I'm planning on writing more to this, because well duh you know me, I can't have a fanfic without AT LEAST a little snogging. Because sucking face is sexy, dammit.

I can has reviewburger?


	2. Chapter 2

Alright, I'm going to be extremely honest with you, reader. I have no idea what the hell actually happens in the series. All I know about YGO, I learned from The Abridged Series. Well, I did used to watch it years ago when it came on Cartoon Network, but... My memory's not so good.

Anyway, so the point of that is that I bullshit stuff a lot. Whee!

- x - x - x - x -

Asomatous (a·so·ma·tous) - _**adjective**_: having no material body; incorporeal.

- x -

Yugi cursed all small children everywhere as he regarded the disarray of the Game Shop, a group of younger kids having just come in and messed the place up. He began to sort through the wreckage, picking things up and putting them in their proper places. It wasn't THAT bad, really; things had just been moved about and set askew, nothing had been broken. Yugi had almost gotten everything righted when his foot became anchored to the floor.

Chewing gum.

"Urgh!" The teen peeled his shoe off the floor and walked over behind the counter, only using the toe of his soiled foot so as not to track the gum all over. "I swear, we need to have an age limit in this place," he grumbled as he scraped the gum out of the tread with a pen.

"I hate kids," Yami muttered, his transparent figure seated on the front counter, arms crossed in disgust at the scene he'd just witnessed.

Yugi sighed. "Not _all_ kids are bad... Some of them are kind of cute, actually. It's the badly-behaved ones with no parental supervision that annoy me."

"I hate _all_ children," Yami said sourly. "They make so many useless noises, and they get their filthy hands everywhere, and they don't respect their elders." He huffed. "And they smell."

"Hey now, I was a pretty good kid!" Yugi pouted. "Would you have hated _me_ at that age, too?"

The pharaoh turned and saw Yugi's expression. "No," he said, giving in and smiling a bit. "No, I suppose not." He reached out to ruffle the boy's hair, though it did nothing.

"H-hey, cut that out," Yugi grinned. "Kinda tickles."

Curiosity caused Yami's head to tilt. "You can feel that?"

"Well... I dunno, actually." The youth frowned slightly in thought. "Maybe I just _think_ I feel something, because I can see it, and my mind tricks me into thinking there's actually a sensation to it. Maybe if I close my eyes and you try it again?" He squeezed his violet eyes shut. "Just touch anywhere and I'll try to guess?"

"Uh.." The idea seemed a little strange to Yami, but he went along with it anyway. "Er, how's this?" He placed an ethereal hand on the boy's left shoulder.

"Mm... Nope, can't feel anything."

Yami's "hand" slid down the teen's bare arm, coming to rest at his hand. "This?"

"Uh-uh."

An idea struck the spirit, inspired by the strange occurrence the previous night. He lifted his hand and placed the pads of his fingers on Yugi's lips. "Nothing at all?"

"No... Are you actually doing something, or just standing there faking me out?"

As a last attempt, Yami leaned forward to place his lips against the boy's, to determine whether the midnight incident was just a coincidence. Yugi shuddered, sucking in a soft gasp, but by the time he opened his eyes again, Yami had retreated to a safe distance.

"I... What did you just do?" Yugi asked incredulously.

"Why, did you feel something?"

"Yeah, it felt like something..." The boy struggled to place words to the sensation. "Like something in my stomach was squirming. I felt... anxious? But in a good way. Excited. Eager, I guess..." He met the other's gaze, noticing his pensive expression. "Okay, seriously, what did you do?"

"This." Yami repeated the action, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible about it. The same feeling as before surged into Yugi, only ten times more powerful. As if by human instinct, he foolishly lifted his arms and tried to embrace the pharaoh, but only succeeded in losing his balance and falling forward into the cash register. Yami chortled at this, finding the sight of Yugi's head halfway through his torso rather funny. "_Aibou_, you're so silly. What did you _think_ was going to happen?"

Yugi sat up and rubbed his head, looking up at Yami not with irritation or anger, but what appeared to be... sadness. "I... forgot," he said quietly, sounding surprised by his own words. "For a second there, I actually forgot that I couldn't... That I can't..." He lifted his hand and reached for Yami's ghostly one, his fingers slicing right through the other's form. Yami extended said hand, and Yugi placed his own against it, palm to impalpable palm. He gazed sadly at their not-truly-entwined fingers, lamenting that they could never share even the simplest of touches...

"You've forgotten, haven't you." The pharaoh's voice snapped Yugi out of his haze, and he met the other's eyes with an expression of mild puzzlement. "Your mind," Yami reminded him. "Our mind... The Shadows within our haven grant us both the ability to touch, to feel..."

Yugi's eyes sparkled like jewels. "Pharaoh, you're a genius!" he exclaimed, leaping off the stool to embrace Yami in his joy. Of course, he encountered no resistance against thin air, and he landed on his stomach over the counter, arms wrapped awkwardly around himself. Yami doubled over with laughter, completely unnoticed by Yugi's grandfather, who had just come back from a trip to the store.

"Yugi, why are you jumping around like a spazz?" Solomon queried, lifting a bag-laden hand to scratch at his head.

"I, uh... I saw a fly," Yugi invented quickly, only slightly distraced by Yami's raucous guffaws. "So I tried to kill it... With my bare hands. Yeah."

The old man shrugged and shuffled past the counter, mumbling something about "kids these days and their hatred of flyswatters."

- x - x - x - x -

Not gonna lie, I consider LittleKuriboh's Grandpa Solomon to be canon. And uh, I actually have no idea whether or not he knows about Yami in the series, but um... This kinda could work either way, really. I don't care. It's my story. Shut up.

I had too much fun writing this chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

Urgh we gon get some lovin up hur in dis biatch.  
>(Translation: This is the part where the rap breaks down)<br>(Translation of translation: The "romance" angle becomes more explored in this chapter.)

- x - x - x - x -

"Yugi," an impatient Yami grumped, pacing back and forth in the realm that was their shared mind. "How much longer is this going to take?"

"I told you, I wanted to be completely asleep before coming here," the teen sighed, appearing behind the other. "I don't want to be caught mumbling anything... incriminating."

Yami blinked. "Well, are you asleep now?"

"Yes, and I..." Yugi stopped when he noticed the expression on his counterpart's face. His garnet eyes seemed... deeper than usual. "Is something wrong?"

The pharaoh stepped closer, lifting his hands and placing them on either side of Yugi's face; he held them very close, yet not quite touching the boy's skin. "May I...?" he murmured, his voice captivating and melting Yugi all at once.

The boy could barely speak. "Yes," he whispered, lost in the ruby sea the other's eyes seemed to become.

Slowly, tentatively, Yami cupped his hands over either side of Yugi's face, a strange tingle awakening in the pit of his chest. "_Aibou_," he murmured, affection and passion and longing mixing together to color his tone of voice as he caressed the boy's soft, warm skin. Creamy, pale hands placed themselves on sun-kissed arms, sliding up to rest on the pharaoh's shoulders.

The space between them grew smaller, bringing their faces so close their noses almost touched. "_Mou.. hitori no boku_," Yugi breathed, lips brushing across Yami's in their proximity.

"_Aibou_," Yami whispered once more in reply, lips pressing gently but firmly against his beloved's. This time, when Yugi went to wrap his arms tightly around the other, he felt the warmth of his body pressed close to him. The kiss lasted only a moment, but it was enough to leave both speechless and out of breath.

Yugi made the softest, lightest gasp, a tiny sound that begged for more of that wonderful sensation. Yami brought their lips together again, and surprisingly, Yugi opened his mouth to deepen the kiss. The pharaoh let out a low, purr-like moan, and his counterpart shivered slightly. Yugi's hands clutched at Yami's hair, as if he feared he might drift away if not anchored to his spiritual partner. Their lips moved in tandem, their tongues dancing like snakes in the warm cavern of their joined mouths. Unfortunately, their neglected lungs forced them to part for a moment.

The two caught their breath before diving in for another kiss, their teeth accidentally scraping together in their eagerness. Soft grunts and sighs were exchanged, arms tightening their embrace, fingers grasping at hair and clothing.

"_Mou hitori no boku_," murmured the younger, as they parted once more for air. The corners of Yami's mouth curled up in a genuine smile, and he engaged Yugi in another kiss, this time soft, gentle, yet somehow even more passionate. Yugi let slip a slight whimper, his emotions swirling inside him as he realized exactly how much he enjoyed this.

_This is so wrong,_ his conscience said. _SO wrong. There's no justifying this._

Yami broke the kiss suddenly, his carmine eyes peering deep into amethyst. "Do you truly believe that, _aibou_...?"

The youth's heart pounded a violent tattoo in his chest. "I... I don't know," he said, panting softly due to his sudden inability to take in as much air as he really needed. He closed his eyes, unable to hold his partner's gaze. "I mean, there's so much about this that just isn't _normal_... We're both guys, and we're... kind of the same person, you know? It just... It's not..." He trailed off, unable to express this feeling.

"Is it best if we stop?" Yami asked softly, pulling away from the other.

"No!" Yugi cried, startling his other self slightly as he lunged forward to reclaim their closeness. "No... This is what I want, Pharaoh... No matter how strange or wrong it may be, it... it _feels_ right..." He buried his face in Yami's shoulder. "We've shared so much together, learned so much from each other... I trust you more than anyone else in the world..."

The spirit caressed the other's back soothingly, feeling the tightness in Yugi's chest that meant he was close to tears.

Yugi let his mental connection take over, nuzzling into his shadow's neck. _It feels right._ He placed a soft kiss on the bronzed skin just below Yami's ear. _To love the soul I've shared a life with for so long... just feels natural._

Yami's eyes darkened in thought. _Love,_ he pondered, clutching the smaller one closer to him. But as soon as he had, Yugi pulled back slightly, gazing up into his face with a puppylike expression that melted the pharaoh's heart.

_I love you, mou hitori no boku,_ Yugi thought to him, his eyes betraying a mix of fear, hope, and an intensely deep passion that resided in his very core and extended outwards to bloom on his pale pink lips. Yami caressed his cheek, his own eyes seeming to sparkle as he smiled gently. Yugi swallowed and gathered up his voice. "I love you," he spoke aloud to the other.

With a tender kiss to his forehead, Yami murmured, "And I, _aibou_..." He touched his lips briefly to the boy's. "I love you, as well."

Yugi clung to his shadow, inhaling the musky scent that surrounded him. Yami smelled... old, but it was a good kind of old, like the pages of a worn, yellowed book. He simply stood there, wrapped in his lover's arms, choosing to remain like this for the night instead of returning to his dreams.

- x - x - x - x -

Question to all you readers. Should I make them have sex? Or should I just keep it as tame as it is now? (If there is any sex, it will likely be unbearably fluffy, because I apparently fancy myself as a writer of sappy romance novels so I delve a lot into inner musings of the characters, rather than just describe physical action.)

**Oh, and in case anyone's wondering what those random Japanese words mean...** I'll tell you. Because honestly, when I started reading YGO fics, I had no clue what they meant and had to go look them up myself.

"Aibou" - literally translated, it means "partner," but tends to have homosexual connotations attached to it. Apparently in the original Japanese version of the show, "Dark" Yugi actually does use this word to refer to Yugi, so you may interpret that as you like ;P

"Mou hitori no boku" - literally translated, it means "the other me." If you didn't know, Yami is actually not called "Yami" in the Japanese version. (I believe "yami" means "dark," so technically he is the "shadow version" of Yugi.) In the Japanese version, he's referred to as "Mou hitori no Yuugi" - "the other Yugi."

Also, Rex Raptor's Japanese name is Ryuuzaki, which of course made me draw retarded parallels between Yu-Gi-Oh and Death Note. ("HOMG L PLAYS DUEL MONSTERS WTFBBQ" is the specific thought that popped into my head at first.)

So yeah. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for all the feedback so far; I'm glad those of you who've read it are enjoying it.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello again readers! Thanks for your feedback. I may give you a lemon at some point, but I really don't want to rush into that, because honestly that doesn't seem realistic to me. I'd like for these guys to take their time, you know? Fear not, though! If you're enjoying the sap and fluff so far, I will not disappoint!

Oh, and a quick note before I start the chapter. I'm extremely inconsistent with the way I refer to all of the characters. Some get their English dub names, others get their original Japanese names. I don't know why I do that. (The main reason I use Anzu instead of Tea is because "tea" is a refreshing and soothing beverage and that little skank is most certainly not :U i'm weird okay) So yeah. Sorry for any confusion.

**Also, another vocabulary lesson!** "Omote," literally translating to "facade" (I think), refers to the "owner" of the body. For example, Yugi is Yami's _omote_, and Ryou is Yami-Bakura's _omote_. I dunno, I liked that phrase better than "hikari" ("light"). Sounds nicer to me.

Also, yes, I actually did look up Japanese breakfast foods, because seriously people you need to stop making these poor characters eat nothing but American food, 95 percent of which appears to be cheeseburgers. YU-GI-OH CHARACTERS IS NOT LOLCATS, THEY CAN NOT HAS SO MUCH CHEEZBURGER KTHXBAI.

Anyway... Onward!

- x - x - x - x -

The following morning, Yugi went about his routine as usual, getting ready to man the shop for a good portion of the day. As he stood in front of the mirror checking his shirt for any stray wrinkles, his spirit partner materialized behind him.

"Good morning, _mou hitori no boku_," Yugi said cheerfully, his violet eyes sparkling and a light blush spreading across his cheeks. Yami gave him a sleepy half-smile, and leaned forward to drape his arms over the other's shoulders.

"Morning, _aibou_." The spirit nuzzled against his partner's head, bringing forth a soft warmth where their forms intersected. "More shopkeeping duties again today?"

"Yeah, let's just hope those kids don't come back," Yugi muttered, a look of annoyance crossing his face. His shadow chuckled.

"You could always just let _me_ deal with them," he grinned, knowing full well that the boy would never trust his short temper with those rowdy preteens.

"Right, and possibly get arrested for assault?" Yugi smirked. "I don't think so."

Yami leaned forward a bit more, his spectral head intersecting Yugi's to place their lips together. A pleasant shiver traversed the boy's spine as he felt that faint warmth on his mouth.

"You'd better not do that while I'm doing anything important," he mumbled, his blush coming back full-force.

"Who, me?" Yami arranged his face into a hurt expression. "I would never!"

"I don't trust that look." Yugi edged towards his bedroom door. _I'm keeping my eye on you,_ he mentally warned his other half.

"Oh come now, _aibou_, you know I wouldn't," his shadow said earnestly, following along behind the boy as he stepped into the small kitchen that was part of the living quarters above the shop.

_You'd better not._ Yugi shot him a wary glance as he prepared himself a bowl of steamed rice for a quick breakfast. _I don't want random customers thinking I'm some kind of pervert or something._

Yami watched idly, having seen this food preparation a million times already; it no longer interested him that much. Watching his _omote_'s movement, however... That still fascinated him. "Yugi, you do a good enough job of embarassing yourself by, what was it now, 'jumping around like a spazz'?" He chortled, still finding the incident quite funny.

"Oh, shut up," Yugi snapped (though his grin showed that he meant no malice), forgetting for a moment to communicate mentally. _You obviously don't know how excited I was_. He scooped up a mouthful of rice.

"Trust me, _aibou_, I know," Yami murmured, suddenly right next to Yugi's face. He placed a quick kiss on the other's lips, despite the teen's mouth being full of rice at that moment.

"Mmngh!" Yugi made a surprised sort of noise and flailed at his shadow's intangible body. _Don't do that while I'm eating! That feels so weird!_

"Yugi, are you coming down to watch the shop while I'm gone?" Solomon happened to walk in just as his grandson had begun to flail at seemingly thin air. "... Are you trying to kill flies again?"

"Yes, grandpa, I'm coming," Yugi replied, choosing not to acknowledge the second question. He rinsed his bowl and placed it in the sink, then descended the stairs and donned his shoes, all while ignoring Yami's laughter.

"Goodness, he seems to have the worst timing," the pharaoh grinned as he sighed the laughter off.

_One of a number of reasons why I never dated._ Yugi rolled his eyes. _Knowing grandpa, he was bound to barge in at the most awkward situation possible..._

"Speaking of which..." Yami's demeanor became serious, as he tried to bring up the subject of Anzu. He wasn't quite sure how to begin, but he found he didn't have to, as Yugi sensed his concerns.

_You don't have to worry about that, okay?_ he assured his spirit partner, as he opened the cash drawer and began to straighten the bills inside (Solomon had a tendency not to keep them all facing the same way). _I mean, yes, she's pretty, and she's really nice, and I've known her for a long time, but..._ He turned his head to meet Yami's gaze, looking through vermilion eyes that held an obvious jealousy in them. "She isn't you, _mou hitori no boku_," he murmured, hoping that his choice to say it aloud would convey his sincerity.

"Well, of course she isn't me," Yami said, not understanding what his counterpart had meant. "There's only one of me, and I'm right here."

_No, what I mean is that... you're special,_ Yugi clarified. _And the things that I like about you, aren't anything that she is._

"Perhaps not," the spirit reasoned, playing devil's advocate for a moment. "However, her physical existence does have its advantages; she could clean, prepare meals, bear children-"

_Pharaoh._ Yugi turned to give him an exasperated look, which quickly changed to more of a puppy-eyed expression. _I don't love her. I love __**you**__. Just you. Can you trust me on that?_

Yami's eyes softened. "Yes, _aibou._" He drifted closer, their mouths intersecting once more. "And I love you." He placed his hand over Yugi's on the counter, covering the youth's fingers with a pocket of warm air. Yugi's lips puckered slightly out of pure instinct, and his stomach squirmed excitedly. He honestly could not wait until evening, when he could withdraw into his mind and feel the proper touch of his soul's shadow.

The shop door flung open suddenly, the bell tinkling as it admitted a rowdy, mop-haired blond. Yugi perked up and almost jumped over the counter to greet his best friend, who was followed by the other two members of their little group.

"How ya doin,' Yug?" Joey grinned, grabbing his not-so-short-anymore friend and giving him a playful noogie on the head. He was joined by Tristan, who grabbed Yugi's hands and held them behind his back - this was a strange homage to the days before their friendship, when the two would gang up on the unfortunately small boy and bully him. Oddly enough, this had become a sort of routine among them ever since the end of their high school years. Yami didn't even flinch anymore; it had taken him a few times, but he understood that they meant no real harm.

"I haven't seen you guys in FOREVER!" Yugi's face displayed a wide smile as he wrestled his way out of the brunet's grasp. "What's the occasion?"

Anzu stepped forward, having been inspecting a trinket placed on a higher shelf. "I ran into these two around town, and we all decided we should drop by and see you, since we're rarely all in the same place together anymore."

Yami's eyes narrowed at the look she was giving Yugi - _his _Yugi. The boy had definitely become more attractive in the recent years, and Anzu had noticed. She'd begun to look at him with the same desiring eyes that had once admired the pharaoh himself in Yugi's form.

"Hey, is Gramps around?" Joey asked suddenly.

"Nah, he's out for most of the day."

"Doin' what?"

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Probably gambling again," he muttered. "He came home drunk off his ass one night and practically begged me to pawn the Puzzle... It was kind of funny, next morning he was beating himself up over even _considering_ such a thing."

"How is the pharaoh?" Tristan queried. Joey glowed with excitement.

"Yeah, you should let us talk to him!"

"We didn't get a chance to see him last time, and that was weeks ago," Anzu chimed in.

"That's because you were dressed like a skank and I was giving you the evil eye the whole time," Yami growled, for only Yugi to hear; the teen had to bite his lips to keep from laughing.

"Well, come on, pharaoh," Yugi said, holding the Puzzle gently (affectionately) in his hands. "The people have spoken."

With a groan, Yami obliged, possessing the body, leaving Yugi floating alongside in spirit. The trio knew once he'd settled; they'd come to recognize the subtle differences between either personality. Yami tended to stand straighter, like the proud monarch he was (had once been), and his "neutral" expression was not so warm and childlike as Yugi's.

"Joey, you have something stuck in your teeth," were the first words to leave his mouth. "Just as much of a pig as always, I see," he teased, as the blond searched for any reflective surface.

"How have you been, pharaoh?" Anzu asked sweetly, and this time it was Yugi's turn to bristle.

"Oh.. Well, the same, I suppose," Yami answered, feeling slightly awkward (but it was impossible to tell, since he always appeared so cool and composed). "No new developments, aside from the usual rowdy customers I'm made to deal with."

"Pharaoh, you _force_ me out whenever they come in," Yugi pouted at him.

_Well, you're a bit of a pushover,_ the shadow thought back to him. _Someone has to deal with those short-tempered nerds, you know - Bitch get off me,_ he seethed, as Anzu took a step closer to him.

Seeing that Tristan and Joey were distracted by a magnetic contraption that spun while hovering over its base, Anzu took the opportunity to cozy up to Yami. "Pharaoh," she said, in her most sweet and alluring voice, "there's a special exhibit in the botanical gardens this weekend, and I was wondering if you'd like to-?"

Yami turned his crimson eyes on her, inwardly raging at her nerve. "I'm afraid I have a previous engagement," he interrupted her through clenched teeth.

"Oh," the girl said, slightly taken aback. "Well, is Yugi available?"

An almost silent growl rumbled in the pharaoh's throat, intense dislike burning in his eyes. Something like fear flashed across Anzu's face before Yugi was in control of his body again, forcing Yami out before he did something he would regret.

"Anzu, I-I'm sorry, but I can't go, either," he apologized. Behind him, Yami was shouting curses at her in a wild mixture of Japanese and Egyptian, looking much like a rabid dog. "And I'm really sorry about him, he's been a little weird lately, and... _Pharaoh, stop it!_" he yelled suddenly, unable to concentrate with all the screaming in his head. This caught Joey's and Tristan's attention, and they turned to look at him with puzzled and shocked expressions. It was unlike Yugi to shout like that.

The boy turned to face his spirit partner, appearing to his friends as though he were staring at the wall. "Please," he said, his voice at normal volume, "please, _mou hitori no boku,_ would you calm down?"

The other three watched in shocked silence, unable to hear Yami's reply. "I... I don't know what happened, _aibou_... I'm sorry..."

"It's okay," Yugi murmured, taking a step closer to the invisible spirit. "I understand, just... I already told you not to worry..."

"I was too over-protective," the shadow lamented.

"I know. I'm not an object, though... I can make decisions for myself... And you know I'll always make the right decision..."

A sort of dawning comprehension rose in Anzu's eyes as she began to piece together the situation.

Yami moved closer to share a spiritual kiss with his host, causing the boy to blush lightly and shiver a bit, his lips twitching of their own accord.

"Uh... Tristan, let's go check out that fern in the planter outside," Joey said suddenly, grabbing his friend's arm and dragging him to the door.

"What fern?" Tristan asked cluelessly.

"Shut up and follow me!" The bell tinkled as the shop door opened and closed once more, leaving Yugi alone with Anzu (and Yami, in spirit).

"Yugi?" Anzu said quietly, drawing the boy's attention once again. "What exactly... is going on between you and the pharaoh?"

"Uh, well..." Yugi blushed fiercely, unsure of how to tackle that question.

"You turned me down because you already have someone, didn't you." It wasn't a question; it was more of a "I know you're right, so just vindicate me" statement.

"W-well, you see, I..." A moment passed as his body was possessed by his other half. "I do apologize," Yami said courteously. "I was unaware that I would become so possessive of my... beloved," he said, after taking a moment to choose an appropriate word.

"Ah..." A smile crept its way onto Anzu's face. "I should have known... The two of you do make excellent complements to each other." Her eyes held sadness, but also relief and joy. "As long as both of you are happy, that's what matters... Yugi?"

"Y-yes?" the teen stuttered, being forced into control once more.

Anzu stepped forward and hugged him. "You're still my friend, no matter what." She pulled away, giving him a genuine smile. "This doesn't change anything about our friendship. It just means I need to find a love interest who isn't gay." She laughed a little, making her way to the door. "I'll see you around, then?"

"Sure..."

With one final wave, Anzu left. Yugi stood there feeling extremely awkward, and not quite understanding what had just happened.

"... Gay?" Yami said curiously. "Why does she need to find a love interest who isn't happy?"

- x - x - x - x -

Trololol. Again we end a chapter with a silly note.

Also, for anyone wondering, I don't particularly dislike Anzu. I just think that Yami would react unfavorably to her if she appeared to be trying to steal _HIS YUGI_.

Not sure exactly where I'm going next, but I think I want Yami and Yugi to have a conversation about what "gay" means. This, I imagine, would be quite humorous.


	5. Chapter 5

**EDIT - 28 Nov 2011.** Thanks for the grammar lesson, **olihime**! Fixed some things in this chapter. The Japanese should be more correct now.

Hello again guys! Sorry it's been so long. For some reason I had writer's block lol.

Also, I feel like I should clarify something about the "world" inside their mind. There isn't really a set landscape or setting to it. It kind of... changes? Depending on the situation? I dunno. Their surroundings don't really matter. Use your imagination.

Oh, and the various Japanese phrases I use in this chapter... I have no idea if they're gramatically correct. And really, I don't care. So suck it.

Anyway, enough rambling. On to the story!

- x - x - x - x -

That evening, in the safety of the realm within their shared mind, Yami brought up a random question. "What did Anzu mean when she said she had to find a love interest who isn't gay?"

Yugi lifted his head from the pharaoh's chest. "You don't know what that means?"

"Doesn't it mean 'happy'?"

A blush colored the boy's cheeks. "Well, in recent years, it's come to mean 'homosexual' more than anything else..."

"Oh. Yes, that makes much more sense."

"Mmh." Yugi let his head rest on Yami's chest again, and listened to the beat of his heart.

"I'm... sorry for what happened today," the spirit murmired, stroking the other's soft hair.

"It's alright, pharaoh." Yugi nuzzled his other half's chest. "Our friends will always be our friends. We've been through so much already... I can't imagine anything that would tear them apart from us."

"But are you sure they'll be alright with you being... gay?"

"Oh, that?" The boy laughed. "Anzu didn't seem too concerned about it, and Joey and Tristan have had their bi moments, they won't care."

"Their what moments now?"

"Bisexual?" Yugi cocked an eyebrow. "You know... Interested in both men and women."

"... How do you know this?" Yami asked, with a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"Well, uh..." Yugi blushed. "You remember Kaiba's tournament, right? Tristan and Duke had some, uh... some intimate moments. And at the Duelist Kingdom, Joey had..." He coughed. "A series of wet dreams about Kaiba."

"Wet? Is he incontinent?"

Yugi facepalmed. "No, it means he had..." He took a moment to put it into a dictionary definition. "He had dreams of a sexual nature that involved Kaiba, which caused him to have nocturnal emissions." The poor teen blushed fiercely, unable to believe he had just explained that.

"Oh." Yami blinked. "I was not aware there was a name for that."

"There's a slang term for pretty much everything these days..."

A moment of awkward silence blanketed them.

"... You don't have sexual dreams about Kaiba too, do you?" Yami asked out of the blue.

"I... Why would you even think that?" Yugi laughed at how ridiculous the idea was.

"Because occasionally you make a mess of your undergarments while sleeping."

Yugi's blush returned. "You mean... You don't see what I dream about?"

"Hm.. I suppose I could if I tried, but that's your business."

"Well, um..." The boy swallowed. "Actually, uh... Most of those dreams are about you," he muttered.

"Oh, well I suppose I was worrying over nothing," the pharaoh said, resuming stroking his _omote_'s hair.

"Wait, you're not creeped out by the fact that I've had dream sex with you?"

"Not really." Yami's eyes fell closed in his comfort. "I've had similar dreams. It doesn't necessarily mean I want to have sex with you; it simply means that I am attracted to you."

"How can you be so sure you don't just want to screw me?"

Yami gazed up into the darkness above them. "When you're by yourself for over three thousand years," he said softly, "you tend to become more acquainted with yourself, how the mind works..."

Yugi contemplated that for a moment. "Pharaoh," he asked after thinking, "what was it like before I released you from the Puzzle?"

"I don't remember much," the shadow admitted. "However... I did feel it whenever anyone touched even a piece of the Puzzle. I felt the souls of all who attempted to complete it before you. I could not tell whether they were male or female, young or old... But none of them were right."

"What do you mean?"

"I... can't really explain it," Yami murmured. "But somehow I knew that none of them were destined to free me." He stroked the boy's hair in thought. "Yet... The very first time your fingers graced my eternal prison... I knew." His arms tightened slightly around his other half. "I knew that you were the one, Yugi... I could feel part of myself inside the essence that penetrated the Puzzle's curse."

Yugi lifted himself up, staring into the pharaoh's eyes with a slightly mischievous smirk on his lips. "So you felt yourself inside me, huh?" he teased.

"_Aibou_, you know that's not what I meant."

"Yeah." The boy leaned in, his lips drawing closer to his partner's. "Yeah, I know..." They joined in a kiss that seemed to shake their private realm.

"_Aibou_," the shadow purred as they separated, "I do hope you understand... Just because I have no desire to engage in sexual relations does not mean I don't find you... incredibly attractive..."

"Trust me, _mou hitori no boku_..." Yugi met the other's gaze, his violet eyes dark and heavy with excitement. "I understand... I feel the same way..."

Lips collided in a wave of passion as the two pressed closer together. Low, nearly silent growls rumbled in the elder's throat, while the younger let slip a chorus of soft moans and squeaks. Yami's hands slid to the nape of his _aibou's_ neck, his fingers gently grasping dark locks. Yugi's hands traveled down the other's chest, feeling the firm, toned body of the former pharaoh. A low moan poured into his mouth from the shadow's lips.

"_Aibou_," he purred, managing to tear his lips away for a moment, "please... touch me more..." Yugi blushed, but moved his hands under his other soul's shirt, his fingertips trailing over tanned skin. Yami shivered under his caress; it weakened him like nothing else ever had. "_Aibo_-ohh," he shuddered as Yugi straddled his thigh and rocked against him, creating friction in his most sensitive area. He dove for his lover's mouth and kissed him passionately.

"_Mou hitori no_," the younger whispered affectionately. He relieved the other of his shirt, baring his godly, sun-kissed torso. Slightly breathless with excitement and anticipation, he dragged his lips from Yami's, kissing and sucking a trail down his neck. The slight arch of the monarch's back urged him to continue his ministrations.

Yami slid a hand down Yugi's back, causing the boy to lift into his touch, much like a cat. As if that wasn't enough indication of enjoyment, the younger moaned softly against his shadow's throat, taking a mouthful of skin and suckling on it. Yami's hand drifted down to his lover's rear and curled over it, squeezing lightly. This earned him a particularly enthusiastic grind against his nethers.

"Ah.. _boku no yami_," Yugi breathed, his hands traveling the other's chest and coming to rest on a pectoral. That was a new one... "My darkness." And Yami was fully aware of their connection, like the Yin and the Yang. In a way, they were opposites, representing the light and the dark, respectively. However, there was also quite a bit of shadow in the pure and youthful Yugi, just as there was some innocence in the dark and mysterious Yami.

"_Ore no hikari~_," the pharaoh murmured in return, brushing his fingertips down the other's cheek. Yugi lifted his head and met ruby eyes, which drew him to lock their lips in a kiss once more. Both were panting softly from the sheer pleasure between their legs. "Yugi," the dark one said in a quiet gasp, his fingers tugging at the hem of his lover's shirt. The boy lifted his arms and allowed it to be removed, before continuing the rock of his hips.

"Pharaoh," he breathed, "I... I can't keep this up much longer...!"

"Ah.. Nor can I," the spirit managed to utter, one leg hooking around Yugi's for leverage as their grinding became more intense.

"_M-mou.. hitori no.. boku_," the boy whimpered softly. "Nnh..."

Yami caressed his uncovered back, his warm hands spreading sensation through the mortal's body. "Release," he purred, "_aibou_..."

His sensually deep voice pushed Yugi over the edge, and the boy did just as his lover had told him. He cried out once, his mind becoming a haze for a moment as pleasure surged through him. Yami felt the intense physical jolt his partner experienced, and it plunged him into ecstasy as well. "Ah... Yugi...!" His own climax sent a shiver up his other soul's spine, making him whimper from overstimulation.

Drained, Yugi lay himself on top of Yami, their bare chests touching, a strange tingle occurring wherever skin met skin.

"I love you," the younger breathed, wrapping his arms around the beautiful, sexy Egyptian with whom he shared a mind.

A smile curled the pharaoh's lips as his warm arms embraced the other. "I love you, too..." He placed a kiss on his cheek. "Darling Yugi."

"Mmm..." The boy cuddled against his soul's shadow, drifting against his will into dreams.

- x - x - x - x -

Yeah... That's... about as sexy as I'm gonna get with a T rating. If I get any more intense, I'll have to bump the rating up. And, uh... I anticipate probably having to do that at some point. XD

Also, as a reply to **WinterHitomi**, yes, I am aware of that fact. However, if Yugi eats too many cheeseburgers, he will get fat and probably develop self-image issues. Also, he may get completely sick of cheeseburgers, and lolcats the world over will cry and cry. Did I mention Kaiba is a lolcat? Truefax, yo. You don't want Kaiba to cry. So please, fanfic writers, go easy on the cheeseburgers, lest bad things happen to our little Yugi muffin. AND THAT'S HOW EQUESTRIA WAS MADE! Hey, maybe next time I can tell you the story of how I got my Cutie Mark! It's a gem!

... also Malik is an air freshener.


	6. Chapter 6

Oh my goodness you guys, I had to change the rating, because for some reason these bois decided they wanted to get a little freaky, and well... It's kind of intense. We get very close to making lemonade in this chapter.

Thanks again to **olihime** for the little Japanese grammar lesson and insight. (I fixed some stuff in the previous chapter.)

Um... I kind of threw plot onto the back-burner. Smut was more important.

- x - x - x - x -

As time passed, their physical bond became stronger. Yugi could now faintly feel the touch of his shadow's ethereal form, and had grown accustomed to his random pats and caresses. The pharaoh tended to sit and stroke Yugi's hair whenever he sat idly behind the game shop counter. On Thursdays, when Yugi attended the local Duel Monsters club (he found it fun to watch and instruct novice players), Yami would hover along behind him, occasionally wrapping his arms around the teen and leaning against his back. Yugi had managed to train himself not to blush profusely at every single light touch, but his shadow still caught him off guard every so often by trailing a hand down his back, or in some cases, just plain groping his ass. But he only tried things like that in the company of their three closest friends, who always found it hilarious when Yugi randomly jumped or squeaked or shuddered.

And one day, the poor boy decided he'd had just about enough of this. He vowed to get revenge by finding the pharaoh's weak points as well, and there was only one way to do this.

"_Boku no yami~_," he called in a very come-hither fashion in their mind's realm. His other soul became suspicious of the faint twinkle in his violet eyes.

"What are you scheming about?" he asked warily, stepping closer.

"Nothing... Just come here." Yugi pulled his shadow into a passionate kiss, and wrestled his shirt off almost instantly. The pharaoh's sexy bronzed chest beckoned him; he kissed down the other's neck, eliciting some very delicious sounds from his lover.

"_A-aibou_," Yami said in a ragged breath. He wasn't quite sure why he was suddenly pinned to the ground, but he didn't question it - Yugi's lips trailing down his throat provided a sufficient distraction from the gravitational physics of their realm.

Yugi shivered as his other's arms tightened around him. His lips made their way to Yami's collarbone, and the pharaoh drew in a sharp breath, arching into the touch. Below, the teen felt his lover's member twitch against his thigh, and he knew he'd found a pleasure point. He kissed and suckled at Yami's clavicle before scraping it gently with his teeth - _that_ got quite a vocal rise out of the pharaoh. Satisfied with the reaction, Yugi moved on down the other's tanned torso, his lips and fingers searching for more sensitivity.

"Wh-what exactly are you doing?" Yami asked breathlessly.

"Getting revenge," Yugi replied innocently, briefly licking at a dusky brown nipple before trailing his tongue down a perfectly chiseled abdomen. The shadow's breath faltered as that warm, wet appendage drew closer to his nethers. Slender fingers gripped at his waistband, deftly undoing buttons and zippers to get to the caramel skin underneath. With his trousers now out of the way, Yugi forged ahead, his fingertips ghosting over the pharaoh's hip bone. Another inhaled gasp told him he'd struck gold. He brought his lips to the spot and nibbled at the protruding bone, causing soft moans of pleasure to escape his lover's mouth. The teen grinned mischievously, beginning a mental list of his shadow's "happy places," and was about to continue downwards when Yami spoke.

"You.. missed one, _aibou_," he said, his voice shaky, though he still managed a smirk.

"Oh?" The boy quirked an eyebrow.

"Mmh." Yami curled a hand over his lighter half's cheek, and Yugi turned to kiss his palm before traveling up his arm. He didn't have far to go; his lover's erection twitched excitedly when Yugi placed a kiss on his inner wrist.

"Interesting," Yugi mused, suckling gently at the other's wrist. "Wouldn't have guessed that one..." He slid back up to lavish his neck with more attention. He kissed and nipped at it before latching onto the flesh, biting and sucking, attempting to leave a mark there.

"Ah..! Ah.. mmh...~" Yami writhed in pleasure, unable to stifle the sounds he was making. "Yugi," he groaned, grasping at the boy's shirt.

"Mhmm?" Yugi questioned, his mouth still full of sun-kissed flesh.

"Mnngh... Stop for a second and let me undress you," the spirit growled, his voice thick and hoarse with arousal. The teen obliged, pausing to assist in the disrobing. After shedding his cumbersome clothing, their naked bodies pressed together, warm flesh rubbing against warm flesh. Yami purred devilishly, his red eyes dancing with flames of excitement. He stroked the other's spine, already knowing how sensitive his back was. His hands cupped the younger's rear, gently kneading soft, pale skin.

With nary a second thought, Yugi whined and clasped his teeth onto the love bite he'd been working on, his hips rocking of their own accord. Yami chuckled and ran his fingers up the length of his other's cleft. The soft moan against his throat made him repeat the action, pressing the very tips of his fingers into the crevice. Yugi gasped softly, his hand traveling to Yami's hip; his fingernails scraped lightly over the sensitive bone there. Urged on by his lover's sounds and actions, the elder pressed one finger deep between the two halves of Yugi's rear, rubbing it up and down the length of his cleft.

The teen stiffened and shuddered audibly when that finger touched his entrance. "Fuck," he breathed, not having any control over the word that escaped him. However, he found that he quite liked the feel of the word in his mouth, liked the way it sounded, liked the rush of adrenaline it gave him to utter such a filthy curse. "F-fuck!" he whined, slightly louder this time, as Yami's finger passed over his opening once again. He clamped down hard on the pharaoh's neck, eliciting a sharp cry of enjoyment.

A low chuckle rumbled in the elder's throat. "_Aibou_, you're so cute," he murmured fondly, nudging the very tip of his finger past the tight ring of muscle. The boy let out a gasping moan; the sensation was strange, yes, but it felt surprisingly good. He squirmed a little as the intrusion ventured deeper, then moved down the other's chest, pausing just below his navel.

The darker's erection stood before his face, proud and tall - rather befitting, for belonging to such a regal man. Yugi stared at it in fascination, having never seen one other than his own, much less in such proximity. He contemplated it, wanting to pleasure his partner, but wary of the taste and sensation... He swallowed and slid a hand down the other's godly abs, pausing in the thatch of dark hair at the base of his manhood.

A hand curled over his cheek, and Yami spoke in a soft, patient voice. "Don't rush, _aibou_," he purred, caressing his beloved's face.

"Nngh..." Yugi lay his head on his lover's stomach. "I've... just never done anything like this before," he muttered. "I don't want to screw it up or something..."

"Yugi, the only way you could screw this up is by biting it off, and I know you're not dumb enough to do that." Yami patted his cheek encouragingly.

"Heh, you never know with me." Yugi smiled sheepishly and lifted his head, determined to pleasure his other soul, somehow. He wrapped his hand around the shaft; it was warm, throbbing with anticipation. The teen slid his hand up and down the length, savoring the sounds of enjoyment coming from his lover. He watched his own hand's movement for a few seconds, seemingly hypnotized, before leaning down, bringing his mouth closer. Slowly, hesitantly, he gave the head an experimental lick. Unexpectedly, he didn't find it at all offensive, so he took another, more generous taste of the muscle before him. The resulting moans of pleasure boosted his confidence, and he ran his tongue from the base up to the very tip.

"Oh sweet merciful Ra," the elder uttered as he was engulfed in the warmth of his partner's mouth. Pure instinct told him to grasp the younger's head and force himself deeper into the heavenly orifice, but the pharaoh fought against that desire, not wanting to make the boy uncomfortable. Yugi, however, could sense what his lover wanted. He opened his mouth wide and attempted to swallow him to the hilt - but his gag reflex kicked in, and he recoiled suddenly, trying to suppress the urge to vomit.

"You don't have to do that," Yami said consolingly, sitting up to place his hands on his other's shoulders. "Don't worry yourself over it."

"But... I wanted to make you feel good, _mou hitori no boku_..." Yugi briefly met his gaze, apology swimming in his eyes.

"Oh, _aibou_." The elder stroked his cheek, smiling a little. "I think it's obvious that you already have the ability to make me feel damn good," he said huskily, glancing down at his own raging erection.

Yugi blushed fiercely. "But I..."

"Shh." Yami placed a finger over his adorable lips. "You've done quite enough already." He stole a kiss; the taste of his own flesh still lingered on Yugi's tongue, and it caused him to shiver in delight. "Just lie back and enjoy this..."

The teen did as he was instructed, gazing up into his shadow's eyes with a very deep blush across his face. It was insanely difficult for Yami to resist just taking him right then and there, but he managed to control himself. He slid a hand down between Yugi's thighs, easing a finger up into him. The boy arched a little, letting out a soft cry.

"How... does that feel?" the elder asked, his finger gently pushing in and out of the tight warmth.

"It... haha..." Yugi chuckled breathlessly. "It kinda feels like... trying to take a shit, actually..."

"... Um." Yami stilled, unsure whether this was good or not.

Yugi lifted a hand and fingered the tender bite-mark on his other half's neck. "It feels good, don't stop," he whispered, his lips colored a deep cherry red from arousal. Yami gave him a sexy half-smile and continued his ministrations below. Very gingerly, he inserted another finger, watching as Yugi squirmed beneath him. His neglected, flushed length suddenly drew the shadow's attention. He gripped it in his other hand and rubbed his thumb over the head. The young mortal rewarded him with mewling declarations of utter bliss.

"Mmh..." Yami's lust-darkened eyes danced with adoration. "Very cute, indeed..." He leaned down and took the other in his lips, moving his hand to his own length. As he mouthed at the other's arousal, he curled his fingers inside the boy, pressing against a very sensitive area.

As Yugi let out a cry of surprise, and his leg kicked out of its own accord, a powerful jolt traveled up the pharaoh's spine, as if his own prostate had been stimulated. Intrigued, he reached for that spot again - pleasure surged through both souls, as if their senses had been completely fused. Each could feel his own pleasure, as well as the other's, and this only served to amplify the intensity of the orgasm that ripped through both simultaneously as Yami's fingers prodded Yugi's prostate one final time.

A scream rang through the small apartment over the Kame Game Shop as Yugi jolted back into consciousness. His entire body quivered in the aftershock of his release; for a moment, he wasn't sure which way was up or down.

"Yugi?" There was a knock at his door. "Is everything alright in there?"

"Y-yeah." It took the boy a moment to find his voice. "Everything's fine, grandpa. I just... had a weird dream."

"Are you sure? That was quite a yell..."

"I'm fine, grandpa. Go back to sleep." Yugi sighed with relief as he heard Solomon's retreating footsteps. As his full-body tingle began to subside, he realized there was quite a mess in his sheets. This was normal for their midnight love romps, but not quite to this extent...

"... Wow." The sultry voice of the pharaoh sent pleasant chills up Yugi's spine. "That... was certainly... new." The boy turned his head to find his other soul's ghostly projection lying beside him, just as shocked and spent as he was. The spirit seemed to have a faint glow about him, as he turned to face his lover.

"_Mou hitori no boku_," Yugi whispered, reaching out to caress the faint warmth of his shadow's face. Yami blinked like a contented cat, enjoying the touch, before rolling over on top of his partner and pressing their lips together. They kissed softly, yet passionately, lips and tongues melding harmoniously.

Yugi gasped, his eyes flying open as he realized exactly what he was feeling. The kiss... was _real_. He grasped at his other soul, feeling nothing but air, except where their lips touched. His heart thrashed wildly in his chest as he tried to think of a reason for this.

"Our bond keeps growing stronger," Yami explained. "The closer together our souls grow, the more we can recognize each other's touch."

Amethyst eyes searched deep within crimson as Yugi began to understand. "So... Will we eventually come to a point where we can touch freely?"

"I... am not sure," the shadow murmured. "However... I never anticipated we would become as close as we are now... Anything could be possible."

The younger smiled up at his spirit partner, and sighed softly as they joined in another kiss. "I love you, _mou hitori no boku_," he breathed against the other's lips.

"I love you, as well... _aibou_." Yami kissed him tenderly, stroking his hair, thus lulling him to sleep.

- x - x - x - x -

WHOA WHOA WHOA WHAT WAS THAT? Holy shit, man. That got steamy. And yet I still managed to keep it fluffy as all hell. I don't even what is this.

There was actually an entire bit that I cut out (Rimming!~) because I wasn't sure it was a good idea to include it. I don't want to get TOO smutty. I'm concerned I may get in trouble for being too descriptive.

Anyway... I'm considering actually inviting the plot back in for a while. (Malik and Bakura are pestering me to give them some "screen time," as it were.) So yeah. Sorry to spoil your fun, kiddos, but this story isn't just about penises and buttholes.

... It's about testicles, too :U


	7. Chapter 7

Wahey guys! The plot came back to visit! I let it out of the hole it was living in. IT PUTS THE LOTION IN THE BASKET!

If you have any aversion to thiefshipping (Malik x Bakura), you can either skip this chapter, or shut the fuck up and read it anyway. Though I'm not sure how you could possibly dislike it; I mean seriously, it's practically canon :U

Also, remember that game shop Anzu and Yami visited on their "date"? It makes a reappearance in this chapter, yay.

- x - x - x - x -

"Are you serious?" Yugi cried as he sorted through their new shipments of merchandise. "We didn't get ANY of the new series cards? That's RIDICULOUS!"

"Calm down, Yug, I mean, they _did_ just get released not even a week ago..." Despite his words, Joey didn't look too pleased either. In fact, he looked decidedly displeased.

Yugi "hnng"-ed, slumping into a dejected heap on the floor. "There's _got_ to be a shop around here that has some," he sighed.

"Couldn't we just order some off the Internet?"

"That's not the same!" Yugi whined. "Huh?" He turned to face the empty air beside him - Joey instantly understood that the pharaoh was telling him something. "Oh! _Mou hitori no boku_ says there's a small shop in town near the museum!"

Joey scoffed. "That hole in the wall? Yeah, like they're gonna have anything remarkable."

"Well, I'm going to check it out," Yugi said resolutely, grabbing his jacket and practically skipping out the door.

"His loss," Yami shrugged, floating along beside a very excited Yugi. "I have high hopes for that shop."

_Well, if they do have the new series packs, I'll pick some up for him._ Yugi gazed around at the various brightly colored shops as he walked along the street. His hand, which appeared to hang idly at his side, secretly clutched the pharaoh's hand - it was like holding a pocket of warm air.

"Yugi, you just walked right past it."

_I did?_ The teen stopped and looked around, finally spotting the small shop sandwiched (Yay alliteration.) between a patisserie and a boutique. _Wow, it really __**is**__ almost invisible._

As they entered the shop, a pierced and tattooed girl with rainbow-striped hair looked up from behind her comic book, seated on a stool behind the register. She gave Yugi a warm smile and set the book down on the counter. "Looking for anything in particular?" She spoke with the faintest hint of an accent.

"Ah.. Yeah, I was wondering if you had the new Duel Monsters booster packs?"

"Oh, the Deep Sun series?" (Yes, I made that up.)

"Yeah, those!"

The young woman gave him a grin that seemed to say, _Yeah, I know my Duel Monsters._ She stood and pointed toward the back corner - Yugi noticed that the racer-back tee she wore did a very nice job of showing off the wing tattoos on her shoulderblades. "Third row from the top. Right where those other two guys are." She winked, taking a seat once more. "Are all the duelists around here cute boys?"

"Eh, um..." Yugi wasn't quite sure how to respond to that, but he was saved from an awkward moment by a familiar voice.

"Oh, hello, Yugi!" It was Ryou Bakura, looking as bright and innocent as ever. Yugi darted over to where his classmate stood, along with a backside that could only belong to Malik Ishtar.

"Bakura, if you still had that Millennium Eye..." he grumbled, scrutinizing the card packages. He turned around to hold one up to the light (as if that would help him see the cards inside), and finally noticed Yugi. After blinking a few times in surprise, he said, "Um... Bakura, do you see...?"

"Yes, I just wasn't going to be so blunt about it," the white-haired teen said, rolling his eyes.

"Why do I feel like they're staring at me?" Yami asked uncomfortably.

"Because we are," Malik said flatly.

There was silence. And it was awkward.

"I don't get this!" Malik complained loudly.

"Hey, you three, keep it down back there!"

Malik winced. "Sorry, Ardee."

"Wait, so you two can see him, but she can't?"

"Use your brain, _aibou_. They both have Millennium Items. Since all seven Items are connected to me, I would infer that their power gives them the ability to see my spiritual form."

"Yes, and we can see that you're totally holding hands," Malik said, making a face.

"What's it to you, punk?" Yami snorted.

Bakura giggled. (Like a girly-man.) "Yes, Malik, you never seem to have a problem when _I_ do it," he grinned, reaching over and lacing their fingers together.

A flustered blush claimed the tombkeeper's face. "Oh, hush, Ryou," he mumbled, though his voice seemed to lose its edge.

"Has the pharaoh always had a spiritual presence?" Bakura asked, absently stroking the back of Malik's hand with his thumb. "I don't recall ever seeing him alongside you before."

"Well... Yeah, sort of." Yugi scratched the back of his head. "It's just that... things have been changing a lot recently. It seems like he's becoming... more tangible." He involuntarily leaned into the pharaoh's hand, which was currently caressing his cheek.

"Ah... yes... The emotional materialization," Bakura murmured, a certain light seeming to go out from his eyes. Yugi and Yami both looked at him curiously. "... I'm sure you both remember the thief's spirit that lived inside the Millennium Ring," he murmured, and recieved a nod from both the pharaoh and his host. "He and I... didn't exactly have as healthy a relationship as you two seem to have."

"Your Shadow was a dickhead," Malik grunted, giving the other's hand a faint squeeze.

"Yours wasn't exactly a saint either." Ryou smirked, the spark in his eyes returning as he met Malik's gaze.

"Yes, but mine didn't _rape_ me inside my own head!" Malik trembled with suppressed rage, oblivious to the fact that he'd just startled the two before him. "Mine was only a criminal; yours was a fucking _monster_!"

"Malik." Ryou lifted a slender, pale hand, and brushed his knuckles down his lover's cheek; this had a remarkably calming effect on the Egyptian youth. Their eyes locked and for a moment they shared a gaze that both Yami and Yugi instantly recognized, having experienced it before. They seemed as though they were about to kiss, but Malik straightened up and took a deep breath, regaining his composure.

"Yes, as I was saying, he was a dickhead."

"And now you know." Bakura nodded towards the other two.

Yami frowned. "I always wondered why such feelings of anguish and agony seemed to emanate from the Ring," he mused.

"Yep, that was Mister Douchebag," Malik said, his attention drawn back to the blind-packs. The white-haired teen smiled, rolling his eyes.

"In any case, Yugi... It's good to know that you're not having to deal with the same things we did."

"You can have this one, it's crap," Malik said, thrusting a pack into Yugi's hand after sniffing it. He held another to his nose. "Nope. Crap." He tossed it at Yugi, and smelled another. "Ooh, this one's a good one, Bakura, we're keeping this!"

"You're really loud, Malik. Why are you sniffing those?" The shop girl seemed to randomly appear behind him.

"The good cards have a certain smell to them!"

"I think you're full of shit." The girl tweaked his earring. "You better not be opening any of those before you buy 'em, twerp."

"Ouch! Stop it!" Malik flailed at her. "Jeez! Just cause you're Odion's best friend doesn't give you the right to pick on me!"

"I think it totally does." The girl smirked. "You gonna buy those cards, or what?"

"Aw, jeez!" Malik grumped as they left the shop, tearing the packs open eagerly. "These cards are crap! How come Yugi got all the good ones?"

"I seem to recall a certain someone throwing packs of cards at him, saying they were no good," Bakura said, trying to seem as innocent as possible.

Malik blushed angrily. "Oh, shut it," he grumbled. "You'd better be glad I like you, otherwise I'd be pummeling the living crap out of you right now."

"Oh, I know." Bakura smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Aww, aren't they adorable?" Yami gushed.

"SHUT UP, PHARAOH!"

- x - x - x - x -

Okay, I have to get this off my chest. The shop girl? That's MOTHERFUCKIN' RAINBOW DASH. And come on, you know Odion would TOTALLY be best friends with a pony. (Gummy bears, dude. Gummy bears.)

I imagine that Bakura and his dark counterpart probably had a very abusive relationship. Ryou seems so sweet and innocent, whereas _yami_-Bakura seems like... well... yeah, a dickhead. And I think the same would go for Malik, too. I like to imagine that during the time Malik and Bakura were in the same body, they became rather close and discovered their similarities. And that without his darker side, Malik would become less evil, and possibly a little more susceptible to emotion.

In terms of this story... I think Malik and Ryou stuck together despite the darkness that inhabited them, and managed to overcome those evil shadows. Perhaps this had something to do with exorcism; maybe it was just sheer willpower that forced them out. Not sure yet. I may have to write a companion fic about them.

LOL, Deep Sun series. What the fuck is that. I don't even know what I'm doing. XD

Don't worry guise, i'll get back to the lemons soon. om nom nom.


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